AFL Mid-Season Draft prospect Oskar Ainsworth is set to make his long awaited VFL debut for St Kilda on Saturday.
The talented Western Jets graduate has played a fortnight of local footy to build his loads after a pre-season hamstring injury set him back.
Ainsworth trialed for a list spot with the Saints in pre-season during the SSP after being narrowly overlooked in last year's National Draft.
Ainsworth, Blake Chambers and Tex Wanganeen were ultimately unsigned after their training stints, but all accepted state league contracts with the club, with Ainsworth getting only very limited opportunity to prove himself due to the injury.
Several clubs including the Saints have been tracking him and are keen how he handles the step up to VFL footy after a strong finish to 2025 in the Talent League as a powerful forward.
"Oskar is a strong marking target and goal kicking threat who can also go through the midfield at stages," coach Brendon Goddard said of Ainsworth following his pre-season signature.
Ainsworth will get three games to prove his capability ahead of the Mid-Season Draft, which will be held on Tuesday May 26.
The teenager models his game on Patrick Dangerfield and had a high-level basketball background before prioritising footy from 2024 onwards.
"I'll bring resilience and determination and will always go at what I want to achieve," Ainsworth told Zero Hanger ahead of the National Draft last year.
"I think as well as that I want to bring loyalty and I think I'm pretty humble and team first so I would do everything with a winning mentality and try and use my strengths to help the team win.
"I'm pretty unique and versatile being able to play taller than my position and impact like a tall and also use my speed like a small so I think I'm a hard matchup."
The Saints are understood to have also shown interest in Tasmanian VFL player Jaxon Artemis, who is one of this year's leading prospects.
Saturday's St Kilda VFL match will also hold gravity for fans, with Max King to play his second match back from his long term injury and Lance Collard returning to action after his controversial homophobia ban.
